"An excellent therapeutic program--clear, comprehensive, and compassionate. I was particularly impressed by the profound transformation in Sonia's Students, which came as a direct result of their practicing Yoga."-Dean Ornish, M.D., author of Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease

Yoga for the Special Child®, LLC Program ​(95 hours)Basic Certification Program

Yoga for the Special Child®, LLC is multi-level comprehensive Program of Yoga techniques designed to enhance the natural development of children with special needs. Our style of Yoga is gentle and beneficial - safe for babies and children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Microcephaly, Autism and other developmental disabilities. These methods also provide an effective treatment for children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, ADHD and Learning Disabilities.

Our therapeutic Program includes:​

An integrated series of balanced Yoga poses to increase body awareness and

strength.

Specialized breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to improve

concentration.

An early intervention program to assure the healthy formative development of

infants, toddlers and children.

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Yoga for the Special Child® Basic Part 1 ​(48 hours)

Basic Part 1 comprehensive training program provides the essential tools for working with children with special needs. Using hands-on instruction, Sonia (Sivakami) Sumar, guides program participants through each stage of the special child’s development. Topics include how to evaluate infants and children, how to create the optimum home environment and how to work with specific syndromes and disorders.

The Basic Part 1 curriculum includes:​

Specific techniques for evaluating infants and children up to 3 years of age

The different components of interacting and bonding with infants/children

Specific techniques for evaluating and working with kids 3-12 years old

Videos and/or demonstration of working with children of different ages

Contra-indications

Relaxation techniques

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Yoga for the Special Child® Basic Part 2 (55 hours)

Prerequisite: Basic Part 1 Program

Basic 2: Developing Programs for Teens and Young Adults

This course further expands on the techniques learned in Basic 1 with special emphasis on working with teens and young adults, but also refining your skills to work with kids from 0-12 years

Note: Participants are expected to have had some experience teaching at least 2 hours of yoga for the special Child ® (i.e. 4 half-hour classes). Participants will bring at least one video of one of these half hour sessions/classes to the course for feedback. (Note: video must be compatible with Windows Media Player or Quick time). A video of any student of any age is acceptable but a session with an older child is encouraged.

The Basic Part 2 curriculum includes:​Review the four stages of development and receive feedback from Sonia regarding the videos each student recorded working with a child with Special Needs using Yoga for the Special Child - The Sonia Sumar Method

Discuss theory and practice of working with older students 13 and above

Describe physiological and psychological benefits of yoga on older children and young

Learn challenges and solutions for working with adolescents and teens

Learn criteria and structure of group classes

Provide opportunity for feedback and guidance on specific case studies

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Yoga for the Special Child® Basic Certification

After completion of both Basic 1 and Basic 2 courses participants will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment for the Yoga for the Special Child® Basic Certification.

After Basic Part 1 and 2, you will not be certified to teach Yoga for the Special Child® to other teachers, but to teach all ages children using the Sonia Sumar Method.

Who Should AttendYoga for the Special Child® is ideal for parents, caregivers, yoga teachers, educators, occupational, physical, and speech therapists, nurses, or anyone interested in teaching yoga to children with special needs.​

Continuing Education Programs

Autism and ADHDSonia Sumar teaches this comprehensive continuing education course in the theory and practice of Yoga therapy for babies and children with Autism or ADHD.

Program Information:Participants will start each day by deepening their own Yoga practice with a Meditation and Hatha Yoga Class led by Sonia Sumar or other certified yoga instructor assisting Sonia during the program. After an introductory discussion on teaching Hatha Yoga to children with Special needs, 4 hands on training sessions with children with Autism and/or ADHD follow. Each class ends with a group discussion and question and answer period about the techniques learned, the appropriate yoga routine and what stage the child is in.

This three day program runs from 8am to 4pm the first 2 days and ends at 1:00pm on the third day.

We will be working with children (any age) who have ADHD or Autism. Please contact the program coordinator if you have a child or a client that would like to participate in our Program as a Demonstration. Sonia will be working with 4 children per day: two in the morning and two in the afternoon. We appreciate your help in bringing demos in as they are the highlights of our Programs.

It is important to understand the medical contraindications to certain asanas, so please do not try to copy our work without proper instruction.

Course Pre-requisiteBasic Part 1

Who Should AttendThis course is open to Yoga therapists, instructors, and students, health care practitioners, and families of special children who have completed our Yoga for the Special Child® Basic 1 Program

Cerebral Palsy and Down SyndromeSonia Sumar teaches this comprehensive continuing education course in the theory and practice of Yoga therapy for babies and children with Cerebral Palsy or Down Syndrome.

Program Information:Participants will start each day by deepening their own Yoga practice with a Meditation and Hatha Yoga Class led by Sonia Sumar or other Certified Yoga instructor assisting Sonia during the program. Four hands on training sessions with children with Down Syndrome and/or Cerebral Palsy follow. Each class ends with a group discussion and question and answer period about the techniques learned, the appropriate yoga routine for each child and which stage the child is in.

This three day program runs from 8am to 4pm the first 2 days and ends at 1:00pm on the third day.

We will be working with children (any age) who have Down Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy. Please contact the program coordinator if you have a child or a client that would like to participate in our Program as a Demonstration. Sonia will be working with 4 children per day: two in the morning and two in the afternoon. We appreciate your help in bringing demos in as they are the highlights of our Programs.

It is important to understand the medical contraindications to certain asanas, so please do not try to copy our work without proper instruction.

Course Pre-requisite:Basic Part 1

Who Should AttendThis course is open to Yoga therapists, instructors, and students, health care practitioners, and families of special children who have completed our Yoga for the Special Child® Basic 1 Program

Asana and PranayamaSonia Sumar teaches this comprehensive continuing education course on the Asanas of Patanjali and advanced Pranayama techniques.

Program Information:Participants will start each day by deepening their own Yoga practice with a Meditation and Hatha Yoga Class led by Sonia Sumar or other certified yoga instructor assisting Sonia during the program. After introductory discussions, participants will have an opportunity to practice the asanas and pranayama exercises. Participants will learn how to apply what they have learned to teaching children with special needs.

This three day program runs from 8am to 4pm the first 2 days and ends at 1:00pm on the third day.

It is important to understand the medical contraindications to certain asanas, so please do not try to copy our work without proper instruction.

Course Pre-requisite:Basic Part 1

Who Should AttendThis course is open to Yoga therapists, instructors, and students, health care practitioners, and families of special children who have completed our Yoga for the Special Child® Basic 1 Program

Arthritis and SclerodermaKathy Randolph teaches this 3 day course on how to teach Yoga to those with Scleroderma or Arthritis.

Program Information:Kathy has specialized in developing a yoga routine designed for people with Scleroderma or Arthritis. Her yoga routine consists of several postures that can help stretch and strengthen the spine, massage the abdominal organs and strengthen the core, including overall flexibility of the muscles in the body.

This three day program runs from 8am to 4pm the first 2 days and ends at 1:00pm on the third day.

It is important to understand the medical contraindications to certain asanas, so please do not try to copy our work without proper instruction.

Course Pre-requisite:Basic Part 1

Who Should AttendThis course is open to Yoga therapists, instructors, and students, health care practitioners, and families of special children who have completed our Yoga for the Special Child® Basic 1 Program.

Participants will start each day by deepening their own Yoga practice with a Meditation and Hatha Yoga Class led by Sonia Sumar, Renata Gaertner or other certified yoga instructor assisting during the program. Course work begins daily after breakfast and covers the Six Branches of Yoga, Surya Namaskar and it’s mantras, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, asana choreography, Pranayama, Slokas and how to teach Hatha Yoga to adults.

Advanced 2 Program Information:

Participants will start each day by deepening their own Yoga practice with a Meditation and Hatha Yoga Class led by Sonia Sumar, Renata Gaertner or other certified yoga instructor assisting during the program. Course work begins daily after breakfast and covers Asana choreography, Surya Namaskar, the Six Branches of Yoga, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Kirtans, Slokas and Yoganidra, teaching Yoga classes and choosing a path to become a Yoga teacher, how to adjust students appropriately, an introduction to the Living Gita and deepening meditation through Mantras.

Advanced 3 Program Information:

Participants will start each day by deepening their own Yoga practice with a Meditation and Hatha Yoga Class led by Sonia Sumar, Renata Gaertner or other certified Yoga instructor assisting during the program. Course work begins daily after breakfast and covers advanced pranayama, Bija mantras and meditation, how to lead kirtans, Asana choreography, how to teach Sarvangaasana and Sirshaasana safely, different types of deep relaxation, the Living Gita and the power of finding a personal Mantra.

Advanced 4 Program Information:

Participants will start each day by deepening their own Yoga practice with a Meditation and Hatha Yoga Class led by Sonia Sumar, Renata Gaertner or other certified yoga instructor assisting during the program. Course work begins daily after breakfast and covers the Bhagavad Gita by Sri Swami Satchidananda, understanding Puja, Asana choreography, thesis presentation by participants, testing for certification and graduation ceremonies.

Each one week program begins Monday morning at 7:00 am with one hour lunch and ends at 4:30pm. Last day of program, Saturday it will end approximately 12:00 pm.

It is important to understand the medical contraindications to certain asanas, so please do not try to copy our work without proper instruction.

Course Pre-requisite:Basic Part 1

Who Should AttendThis course is open to Yoga therapists, instructors, and students, health care practitioners, and families of special children who have completed our Yoga for the Special Child® Basic 1 Program.​